HISTORICAL ISRAEL

Hello everyone,

It’s been a while since I last wrote a blog. Much has happened since April and exciting things are on the horizon.

I’ve moved from Dallas, TX to Sarasota, FL and have experienced my first hurricane, Ian. Through it all, I have not felt fear nor despair…I may have been overwhelmed and a bit annoyed at times, but not fearful. I am a firm believer in that all things happen for a reason. God is never going to allow something to take place that He doesn’t already see fit to allow. I am so glad He is Souvereign!

NOW, for the exciting news! Drum roll…I am excited to be a part of two different tours to Israel next year, one of which is my own tour. The Summer 2023 Israel Tour will take place June 10th through the 21st, 2023. In addition to the hotels in Netanya, Ramot Resort and Jererusalem, I have planned for us to stay at a beautiful hotel and spa right on the Dead Sea! So those of you who are wanting to get in some spa time (facials, massages, manicures and so on), you’ll be able to book your appointment and relax! Trust me when I say, you will definitely enjoy this hotel and spa. The tour will be amazing, as I am including sites that are off the beaten path along with the traditional sites for all to enjoy. I promise, when you return home, you will not be the same.

I am truly excited for the Spring 2023 Archaeological Tour with the Red Haired Archaeologist. The RHA’s Tour of Israel will take place May 10th through the 22nd, 2023. I know this is going to be an amazing tour and my hope is that we’ll be able to continue to offer this tour in the future. I am so happy to have met Amanda Hope Haley, aka the Red Haired Archaeologist, because not only is she an archaeologist, but she is also a Believer who loves God and Israel! She has written a book called, The Red Haired Archaeologist, Digs Israel and through this book the tour was birthed. Amanda’s fan base have been so intrigued by all that is mentioned in her book that they started to request that she put a tour together that follows the outline of her book.

I can’t wait for this tour because a good majority of what is on the itinerary, I have never experienced and I have been and have taken many people on tours to Israel over the last 13 years. We will even participate in an actual dig!!! WOW!!! How exciting is that? This tour might turn me into an Indiana Jones! Ummm….probably not, but I am looking forward to it!

If you're interested in either tour, please visit AM Israel Tours to check out the itinerary for both tours! I am sure one will be the right fit for you! Even if you’ve been to Israel, I know you would enjoy the archaeology tour with Amanda! She is an amazing author, who has also written children’s books, has a podcast and her own blog. So check out her website HERE, as I am sure you will be inspired!

I look forward to seeing you in 2023 on either or both tours!

Shalom Aleichem!

The Passover Lamb

Last night at sundown began Passover. Leading up to Passover, homes and restaurants are scrubbed and cleaned and all forms of hametz are removed from the premises. Hametz, which is yeasts is considered a symbol of sin during this time and anything with leavening isn’t permitted to be in the home or eaten during Passover, which is a week long feast to be observed within the Jewish community.

Last night, two thousand years ago, the Messiah had the Passover Seder with his disciples. He broke matzah (unleavened bread) and took of the four cups of wine. The first cup, the Kiddush, cup of blessing. The second cup, the Maggid, telling the Passover story and asking the fours questions (Each of the four questions begins with, Why is this night different from all other nights? That in all other nights we do not dip vegetables even once, on this night, we dip twice?; That on all other nights we eat both chametz and matzah, on this night, we eat only matzah?; That on all other nights we eat many vegetables, on this night, maror?; That in all other nights some eat and drink sitting with others reclining, but on this night, we are all reclining?). The third cup is the blessing after the meal called the Birkat Hamazon. The fourth cup, the Hallel. Each cup tells the story of the Exodus from Egypt and represents the four expressions of deliverance, "I will bring out," "I will deliver," "I will redeem," and "I will take." The Vilna Gaon relates the Four Cups to four worlds: this world, the Messianic age, the world at the revival of the dead, and the world to come.

Passover is all about the Messiah and all that He came to do for us… He came to bring us out of captivity. He came to deliver us, from the enemy and bring us to a place where we can have communion with God. He came to redeem us from all sin and shame. He then will take us home where we will reign with Him forever.

During Passover a lamb is brought to the priests by each individual/household to be sacrificed for the sins of the individual. The lamb is placed under scrutiny as it is inspected for any spot, blemish or wrinkle that would render it unfit for sacrifice. The Messiah went through this same process after he was taken into custody. He was put on trial and was found not guilty, however, He was still sacrificed being found without spot, blemish or wrinkle. Just as the matzah that was broken during the Passover meal has stripes and holes, so was the Messiah pierced and bruised for our iniquities. Just as a sacrificial lamb must be eaten before sundown, the Messiah gave up His spirit before sundown.

There is so much more to be said and told, however, I recommend you attending a Passover Seder, if you have not already done so. You will see the Messiah in the whole of this festival.

Yeshua is the Lamb of God. He bore all of our sin so that we might live. He delivered us from our iniquities (lawlessness), so that we may live in peace and harmony, so that we might love our neighbors. We must love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength.

May this season bring you blessing and may you find the Messiah today! He is knocking at the door of your heart. Open that door and let Him in.

Spring 2022 Israel Tour

I had the privilege and the honor to take 21 people with me to Israel this year. There was quite a bit of “firsts” for me on this tour. I have been to Israel more than a dozen times and it never gets old. This was my first tour group in 7 years, and many things have changed since I last took a group. 

Looking back on it, I have had to laugh at myself a few times and often wondered what people thought what people thought of me, as I was giving out information that was no longer valid. For example, I told people to arrive at the airport at 4PM because our flight would leave at 12:45PM, the gates for check-in were going to open 4 hours prior to us leaving and I wanted meet with everyone before heading over to the check-in counter. In the past, I would use this time to go over last-minute details, be sure everyone had their name tags, lanyards and luggage tags, give time for everyone to ask questions and then pray with the group prior to us checking in. In the past, when it came time for the check-in process, I would tell everyone that the process would be lengthy because the agents of EL AL ask many questions, go through luggage, put it through a scanning machine and all of this happened before going through TSA. It was nothing like that this time. The agents asked me a few questions with regards to my tour group, then started checking everyone with no issues. They were all able to go through TSA to their gate where many of them then sat and waited for several hours prior to boarding the flight. 

The arrival process in Tel Aviv was different as well, as we had a person waiting for us after landing to take us through the Passport Control/Customs. This would have all been a breeze, however, I unfortunately had one person who we pre-ordered a PSR Test for who’s test kept showing up as unpaid and her passport number was incorrect, which in turn caused a 45-minute delay. 

From this moment on, things moved forward with much more ease. Yes, there were a few snags here and there and the unfortunate issue with colder weather that Israel had not experienced in about 72 years, but hey, it was still awesome! The food is always amazing in Israel, and one can gain quite a bit of weight if not careful with the amount of the tasty cuisine. I must say, it is difficult when there is so much food on display for breakfast and dinner and the restaurants and cafes, we visit for lunch do not skimp either. The hotel in Netanya, West Lagoon Hotel, was amazing and seriously set the bar for the rest of the hotels on our tour. The rooms were top-notch, and the food was scrumptious! The unfortunate part was that it was only an overnight stay. 

Monday, March 14th began our trek up to the Galilee. I must interject that our guide, Ilan Barkai was a fantastic tour guide! His knowledge and sense of humor had engaged the entire trip. David Minay, the bus driver, I have known since 2009 and I always use him for the tours. Both David and Ilan are fantastic at what they do, and I was so grateful for their expertise and having them on our team. Our day started out with Caesarea Maritime and seeing the location on the Mediterranean where Herod the Great built a palace on the shoreline and where Paul was brought for trial. It was a Herodian City with a magnificent 40-acre harbor that would accommodate 300 ships, a theatre and horse stables. We then drove up to see the ancient aqueducts that delivered water to the city of Caesarea Maritime. From there we visited the location on Mount Carmel where the prophet Elijah called down the fire of the Almighty and slew the false prophets of Baal. While there we saw the Jezreel valley and went to Tel Meggido/Armageddon, where the final battle will take place on earth. Our next stop was Mt. Precipice, where we could see the modern-day town of Nazareth in the distance where Yeshua (Jesus) was raised and rejected by his own people. We drove through Cana on our way to our hotel on the Sea of Galilee, the Ron Beach Hotel. 

We all checked into our rooms, settled in and refreshed before heading down to the dining hall for dinner, which was followed by a special concert.

For me, the highlight of the day was having Joshua Aaron come to our hotel for a concert where he led us in worship! I am so glad that I had the opportunity to meet him and to experience worship time with Joshua and the rest of our tour group! He shared a bit of his story and history, which everyone seemed to appreciate. 

All in all, our first day of touring was amazing and very much a blessing! Having the opportunity to experience these moments and sites with people who have never been before was an absolute joy! I can’t wait to go back again!

Below are Bible References for today’s sites. Be blessed and join us next year, in Jerusalem! I will be sharing more of our trip in upcoming blogs.

 Acts 10:23-48

 Rev. 16:12-26; 19:19-21; John 19:38-42

 Judges 5:1-5; 5:19-22, 31; Zech. 12:11; Rev. 16:16

1 Kings 18:19-40

Matt. 13:53-58; Luke 1:26-38; 2:39; 4:15-30

Capernaum - Jesus Teaches Us Forgiveness

Although Jesus grew up in Nazareth He ended up moving to Capernaum a location where He chose to set up His headquarters for His ministry. The location was excellent in that it sits northwest of the Sea of Galilee and was an important commercial stop along an ancient trade route.

Matthew 4:13 “but he left Nazareth and came to live in K'far-Nachum (Capernaum), a lake shore town near the boundary between Zebulun and Naphtali.”

In the time of Jesus a man wasn’t allowed to be a rabbi until he turned the age of 30. He would begin his mission in gathering disciples and travel through the countryside speaking in various synagogues on Sabbath and to the local people along his way. The man becoming a rabbi would typically say, “come” to those he was choosing to be his disciples and they would follow without question. There was no rebuttal nor questions like, “well, where are we going?”, “What do you plan to teach us?”…the man would simply say, “come” and they would follow, just like sheep follow their shepherd.

The rabbi knew that the people following him, most likely were uneducated, and more like peasants. So, with this in mind the aspiring rabbi would know that he needed to speak plainly as to be sure they would understand him. He would need to speak to their senses through smell, touch, taste, feel and vision. This is what is known as speaking in parables and there was none greater than the Messiah in accomplishing this task.

Jesus spent much time teaching and mentoring His disciples in Capernaum, getting them prepared for their mission of spreading the Good News to all people, to the Jew first and to all the nations! Capernaum was the location where Jesus taught them regarding forgiveness.

Matthew 18:21-22 “Then Kefa (Peter) came up and said to him, "Rabbi, how often can my brother sin against me and I have to forgive him? As many as seven times?" "No, not seven times," answered Yeshua, "but seventy times seven!”

I think Peter thought he was being mighty gracious to forgive someone up to 7 times. However, Jesus’ response with a command to forgive someone up to 490 times, was probably shocking. The awesome thing about the Messiah, is that He didn’t mince words and He was very purposeful in what He said. Could there be some hidden meaning behind the 490? Well, yes! I’m glad you asked!

The number 490 equates to the numerical value of the word Tamim, which means “complete”, “perfect”, or “finished”. So, when relating this word to forgiveness or unforgiveness, the person who cannot forgive will live a life of imperfect and incomplete life. Furthermore, they lack the true understanding of the “finished” and most gracious work of the shedding the Messiah’s blood on the cross. In addition, the number 490 equates to the Hebrew phrase “let your heart be perfect”.

1 Kings 8:61 “So be wholehearted with ADONAI our God, living by his laws and observing his mitzvot (regulations), as you are doing today."

Finally, there are two words that individually add up to the numerical value of 490…”my nativity” (moladati) [nativity means, the occasion of my birth] and “Bethlehem” (Beit Lechem) [House of Bread]. Jesus was born in Beit Lechem, the House of Bread and His birth in the House of Bread is directly associated with forgiveness in that Jesus states in Matthew 6:11-12 “Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Just as a person is unable to live without bread, an individual can neither live without forgiveness.

It is important, no, it is a command for us all to forgive and be forgiven. Just as our Messiah forgave us…He bore ALL of our sins (I’m not sure that we can even grasp this concept with our finite minds), and He chose to do this so that we could be forgiven and have life eternal. Without it, we would not be able to survive. So, forgive just as Jesus has forgiven us.

Colossians 3:13 states, “Bear with one another; if anyone has a complaint against someone else, forgive him. Indeed, just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must forgive.”

For Such A Time As This

Esther 4:12-14

Upon being told what Esther had said, Mordekhai asked them to give Esther this answer: "Don't suppose that merely because you happen to be in the royal palace you will escape any more than the other Jews. For if you fail to speak up now, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from a different direction; but you and your father's family will perish. Who knows whether you didn't come into your royal position precisely for such a time as this."

In just eight short days, I will be taking a group of 21 people with me to Israel for the AM Israel Tours Spring 2022 Tour. I am so excited about this tour for several reasons, one of which is for the mere fact that this particular tour was scheduled for 2020! However, one of my favorite sayings is, “everything happens for a reason”, and it’s true. Initially, I had almost 50 people booked and ready to go, now I have 21 and with myself, that makes 22. So, 22 people going to Israel for the Spring 2022 Tour!

I don’t believe in coincidences and because again, everything happens for a reason, Wednesday, March 16 is Erev Purim (Eve of Purim). What is Purim you may ask, well, I’m glad you asked. Perhaps you may not know who the little Jewish girl by the name of Hadassah was, but you do know who she grew up to be...Queen Esther.
Every year at this time, Jews read the book of Esther to remember how the Jews of Persia were saved from annihilation by the evil Haman. We read about how Hadassah became Queen Esther and how God ordered the steps so that she could be in a place of authority and find favor in the sight of the King. In so doing, she was able to help save her people from death.

This reminds me of a certain man, a modern-day Biblical Hero, Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the grandson of a holocaust survivor who grew up to be an actor/comedian, who also received a law degree and how God ordered the steps of this man so that he may be placed in a position of authority to help save his countrymen from death.

I am so glad that God doesn’t call upon the equipped, but He equips those whom He calls! I am reminded of another hero of the Bible. He was one of many brothers, there is now a city and a citadel named after him…King David. David was a shepherd boy who tended his father’s flock while his older brothers were fighting a war against the Philistines. One day David’s father asked David to take food to his brothers and upon arriving David saw that the Philistines were taunting the Hebrews. They had a giant on their side who told the Hebrews to send a man to fight him and if he won that the Hebrews would become slaves to the Philistines. What was worse was that the Hebrews were afraid and not doing much to retaliate. After David confronted his brothers and the king, Saul, David decided he himself would confront this giant. David, a young boy who couldn’t even fit into the military armor nor carry a military sword, decided that he needed to confront this giant to save his people. GOD ordered the steps so that this young man may be placed in a situation to overcome the enemies of his people, thus saving them from death. I like what David says in 1 Samuel 17 to King Saul, “Your servant has defeated both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has challenged the armies of the living God." David then, “took his stick in his hand and picked five smooth stones from the riverbed, putting them in his shepherd’s bag, in his pouch. Then his sling in his hand, he approached the Philistine. The Philistine looked David up and down and had nothing but scorn for what he saw—a boy with ruddy cheeks, red hair and good looks. The Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog? Is that why you're coming at me with sticks?"—and the Philistine cursed David by his god. Then the Philistine said to David, "Come here to me, so I can give your flesh to the birds in the air and the wild animals." David answered the Philistine, "You're coming at me with a sword, a spear and a javelin. But I'm coming at you in the name of ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of the armies of Isra'el, whom you have challenged. Today ADONAI will hand you over to me. I will attack you, lop your head off, and give the carcasses of the army of the Philistines to the birds in the air and the animals in the land. Then all the land will know that there is a God in Isra'el, and everyone assembled here will know that ADONAI does not save by sword or spear. For this is ADONAI's battle, and he will hand you over to us." Again, another great example of God equipping those whom He calls!

It is such an awesome honor to be able to take people to Israel so they can experience the Biblical sites first hand and put a location to the historical event in scripture. The City of David & David’s Citadel are just a few locations you will visit and see on a tour to Israel. You may even see the Valley of Elah where the battle took place between David and Goliath, but the fact is that God always wins. He’s victorious in every situation and He has defeated the enemy and continues to do so over and over again.

I remember growing up, there was a cartoon character named Mighty Mouse and his catch phrase was, “never fear, Mighty Mouse is here!” Well, throughout the Bible, God is telling us to never fear, God is here and is with you wherever you go! The promise can be found in Joshua 1:9. Haven't I ordered you, 'Be strong, be bold'? So don't be afraid or downhearted, because ADONAI your God is with you wherever you go."

May you go in Shalom and be without fear in knowing that God is with you wherever you go. Baruch HaShem, Praise the LORD!

Wars and Rumors of Wars

There are many reasons as to why I decided to start taking people on tours to Israel. 

Yes, the food is great, the sites are amazing, the people are wonderful and for such a small country, the history is rich beyond compare. When I take people, we are usually gone for twelve days. Of those twelve days, ten of which are spent in the land due to travel time. There is so much to see and do that ten days is simply not enough, however, we do our best to give the tourist the best experience possible.  

In conjunction with showing tourists the land and educating them on all the sites we see, I also like to share tidbits along the way at key sites. Conveying the story of the Prophet Elijah at Carmel, reiterating the Sermon on the Mount, and being able to pray, along with fellow believers in God, at the Western Wall is what it’s all about for me. What I most enjoy doing, is offering a Messianic Jewish perspective to it all. 

For the last several years I have been telling anyone who will listen that there is coming a day that the US will see a great holocaust. A holocaust that will not only impact the Jewish community but also the Christian community. I believe there is coming a time when many will seek to flee the US in search for a safer haven. With all that is taking place all over the world and most recently what is taking place between Russia and the Ukraine, seems to be fueling this sense within me. I believe that this unfortunate show of arms against the Ukraine is by no means a coincidence. Russia has an agenda and I believe the end game for this regime is to bring about the end of Israel. 

Before I get to the prophetic, I would like to let you know more about the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He was born January 25, 1978, to Jewish parents. Volodymer’s great grandfather and 3 sons were killed in the holocaust. I’m only 8 years older than this great and heroic leader and we are the same height, 5’7”. He is a former actor and comedian and has a law degree! This man is not sitting in some bunker, he is out there fighting alongside his people for his country. When offered a way out by the very weak US Government, he told them he didn’t need a ride, but ammunition.  To me this sounds like a modern-day biblical story.

There is a prophetic message within the Bible regarding a future war in which Russia aligns itself with Muslim countries that surround Israel, and these select countries come together to attack Israel, however, the God of Israel shows up and He Himself protects Israel and retaliates against Israel’s enemies. The war I speak of is the Gog Magog War. 

This prophetic message that is outlined in the book of Ezekiel is now in motion. The book of Ezekiel speaks of this in chapter 38:10-17:

"Adonai ELOHIM says: 'When that day comes, thoughts will well up in your mind, and you will devise a sinister scheme. You will say, "I am going to invade this land of unwalled villages; I will take by surprise these people who are at peace, living securely, all in places without walls, bars or gates. I will seize the spoil and take the plunder." You will attack the former ruins that are now inhabited and come against the people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and other wealth and are living in the central parts of the land. Sh'va (Sheba), D'dan (Dedan) and all the leading merchants of Tarshish will ask you, "Have you come to seize spoil? Have you assembled your hordes to loot; to carry off silver, gold, livestock and other wealth; to take much plunder?"'

"Therefore, human being, prophesy! Tell Gog that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'Won't you be aware of it when my people Isra'el are living in security? You will choose just that time to come from your place in the far reaches of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them on horseback, a huge horde, a mighty army; and you will invade my people Isra'el like a cloud covering the land. This will be in the acharit-hayamim (end of days); and I will bring you against my land, so that the Goyim (Nations) will know me when, before their eyes, I am set apart as holy through you, Gog.'

Yes, we need to be in prayer, but we have always needed to be. Our lamps must be kept full of oil and our wicks trimmed. We must be always vigilant in preparation for what is yet to come. This does not mean that we sit and wait. This doesn’t mean that we just pray. We must act and act accordingly. We must act as we elect good leaders like Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskyy who fights for his people. He doesn’t sit and pray, he acts. Yes, we are to have faith, but faith without action is dead.  

While Volodymyr fights for freedom, along with his people, meantime, here in the US we have a weak government who care about nothing but themselves and their own agendas that will only benefit themselves. Taxes are sky rocketing; small and medium businesses are closing down and some businesses can’t find people to hire to stay open. COVID does have some blame for our current situation, but the Biden administration has done nothing to help turn it around. We have state governments arguing over hormone therapy and puberty suppressing drugs for youth who really should be out there going to school, studying, hanging out with friends and playing sports rather than worrying about sex and gender. They aren’t even adults yet with fully developed brains and want to make permanent decisions regarding something that will change them for the rest of their life. Youth change their minds about everything almost daily! We need to get them off social media and TikTok and out in the real world doing real world stuff…like work! Like playing sports! Like, feeding the homeless and helping the widows and the orphans! Instead, we live in this very superficial, high maintenance, spoiled and narcissistic society.

If we are ever going to be a nation that is viewed as strong and ethical with high moral standards, we must turn back to God and repent. We must believe that He is the only way, the Truth and Life for us all. We cannot afford to not be vigilant any longer because we are running out of time. For those of you who have the ears to hear, then head this word, be a doer of God’s Word! I for one would rather be like King David, who fought for his people and with God’s power defeated the Giant. I would rather be like Moses and stand up to the Pharaohs of the world and lead my people out of bondage. I would rather be like the Prophet Elijah and with God’s outstretched arm defeated the false prophets and slew them all. The Bible is full of the heroes and heroines alike, who were all used by God to bring about miracles and freedom. 

One heroine who comes to mind, Queen Esther. Purim, the Jewish holiday that commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people because Esther was brave enough to present herself to the King when not called upon. She was able to convey the plight of her people and what Haman was plotting to do to the Jewish people of Persia. Queen Esther’s courage and relentless faith in God saved her people and instead Haman and his household were killed the way he planned to kill the Jews. 

Let’s be united as children of the Almighty God and let’s all be heroes and heroines like those of the Bible. Let’s be focused on one thing, the prize, our salvation, the Messiah, Yeshua, Who died for us so that we might live.

Humility & Obedience

I love taking people to Israel and having the opportunity to watch the varying degrees of reactions and responses on their faces as they walk through the land.

The Messiah came into this world not to abolish the Torah (The first 5 books of the Bible), but to bring its fullest meaning. Matthew 5:17.

Throughout His journey here on earth, the Messiah spent His time teaching and healing…more teaching as He wanted us to understand His word and become obedient Believers. He taught in the synagogues and the Temple, but mostly He did so on a mountainside, in a boat, along the shoreline and varying other locations. One of which, was a mountainside where he delivered His sermon on the mount, found in Matthew Chapter 5.

You may know this as the “Beatitudes”, which basically describes a lifestyle in Heaven. The Heavenly Kingdom would afford you comfort, acceptance, satisfaction, seeing God, being called His child and being shown His mercy. In this passage He was letting us know that heaven is not some far off land, but the blessings of the beatitudes is a present possession for the person of faith. He wasn’t teaching some class on ethics but letting His people know that this is the lifestyle for those who trust in Him.

This sermon on the mount wasn’t for just the masses surrounding Him, the majority being Jews, but also for His disciples. He was teaching them and mentoring them for what was to come…the Great Commission!

Within His sermon, He states that He did not come to abolish the Torah nor the prophets but to show us their fullest meaning/interpretation. Above all else, God requires obedience. He wants us to obey Him out of our love for Him. He didn’t create us to be puppets on strings for Him to control, He created us so that we would be in relationship with Him. To worship Him and love Him from our souls, not as an obligation. The Torah, Writings and Prophets, also known as the Old Testament, contain 613 laws. Here is what King David, the Psalmist says about the laws of God: Psalm 19:8-12 of the CJB

The Torah of ADONAI is perfect, restoring the inner person. The instruction of ADONAI is sure, making wise the thoughtless.

The precepts of ADONAI are right, rejoicing the heart. The mitzvah of ADONAI is pure, enlightening the eyes.

The fear of ADONAI is clean, enduring forever. The rulings of ADONAI are true, they are righteous altogether,

more desirable than gold, than much fine gold, also sweeter than honey or drippings from the honeycomb.

Through them your servant is warned; in obeying them there is great reward.

I would like to point out that King David states the the Torah of Adonai is perfect. His laws, rulings and regulations are pure and enlighten the eyes and sweeter than honey and should be more desirable than gold. I would like to suggest that there is no perfect freedom outside the perfect Law of God. His Word is truth, His Word is alive and His Word brings life and healing. His Word IS Yeshua, the Lamb of God. Every bit of the Word from Genesis to Revelation and all of what is in between, it’s all HIM! He cannot contradict what He has said nor did He mean one thing 2000 years ago and mean something totally different today. NO, He is the same yesterday, today and forevermore.

Yeshua (Jesus) concludes His sermon by His correct interpretation on what people have heard by their fathers, for example: Do not commit adultery, “But I tell you that a man who even looks at a woman with the purpose of lusting after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” He then goes on to give them four more examples on how He wants them to understand the meaning of these laws.

If you haven’t already read the Sermon on the Mount, take the time to do so now. As it is what you can expect Heaven to be like.

Seeing the crowds, Yeshua walked up the hill. After He sat down, His talmidim came to Him, and He began to speak. This is what he taught them:

"How blessed are the poor in spirit! for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

"How blessed are those who mourn! for they will be comforted.

"How blessed are the meek! for they will inherit the Land!

"How blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness! for they will be filled.

"How blessed are those who show mercy! for they will be shown mercy.

"How blessed are the pure in heart! for they will see God.

"How blessed are those who make peace! for they will be called sons of God.

"How blessed are those who are persecuted because they pursue righteousness! for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

"How blessed you are when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of vicious lies about you because you follow me! Rejoice, be glad, because your reward in heaven is great—they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.

"You are salt for the Land. But if salt becomes tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except being thrown out for people to trample on.

"You are light for the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Likewise, when people light a lamp, they don't cover it with a bowl but put it on a lampstand, so that it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they may see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.

"Don't think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete. Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah—not until everything that must happen has happened. So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot (regulations) and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and so teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness is far greater than that of the Torah-teachers and P'rushim, you will certainly not enter the Kingdom of Heaven!

"You have heard that our fathers were told, 'Do not murder,'and that anyone who commits murder will be subject to judgment. But I tell you that anyone who nurses anger against his brother will be subject to judgment; that whoever calls his brother, 'You good-for-nothing!' will be brought before the Sanhedrin; that whoever says, 'Fool!' incurs the penalty of burning in the fire of Gei-Hinnom! So if you are offering your gift at the Temple altar and you remember there that your brother has something against you, leave your gift where it is by the altar, and go, make peace with your brother. Then come back and offer your gift. If someone sues you, come to terms with him quickly, while you and he are on the way to court; or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer of the court, and you may be thrown in jail! Yes indeed! I tell you, you will certainly not get out until you have paid the last penny.

"You have heard that our fathers were told, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that a man who even looks at a woman with the purpose of lusting after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye makes you sin, gouge it out and throw it away! Better that you should lose one part of you than have your whole body thrown into Gei-Hinnom (Hell). And if your right hand makes you sin, cut it off and throw it away! Better that you should lose one part of you than have your whole body thrown into Gei-Hinnom (Hell).

"It was said, 'Whoever divorces his wife must give her a get.' But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of fornication, makes her an adulteress; and that anyone who marries a divorcee commits adultery.

"Again, you have heard that our fathers were told, 'Do not break your oath,' and 'Keep your vows to ADONAI.' But I tell you not to swear at all—not 'by heaven,' because it is God's throne; not 'by the earth,' because it is his footstool; and not 'by Yerushalayim,' because it is the city of the Great King. And don't swear by your head, because you can't make a single hair white or black. Just let your 'Yes' be a simple 'Yes,' and your 'No' a simple 'No'; anything more than this has its origin in evil.

"You have heard that our fathers were told, 'Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you not to stand up against someone who does you wrong. On the contrary, if someone hits you on the right cheek, let him hit you on the left cheek too! If someone wants to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well! And if a soldier forces you to carry his pack for one mile, carry it for two! When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something from you, lend it to him.

"You have heard that our fathers were told,'Love your neighbor—and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! Then you will become children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun shine on good and bad people alike, and he sends rain to the righteous and the unrighteous alike. What reward do you get if you love only those who love you? Why, even tax-collectors do that! And if you are friendly only to your friends, are you doing anything out of the ordinary? Even the Goyim (Gentiles) do that! Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

What was, what is…

The vast majority of the “Old World” has its history and ruins to visit. Scotland with the standing stones. England, France, Germany, Spain and so on with all their castles. Italy with ancient cathedrals and mummified popes of yesteryear. We can visit these locations and see that there was historical value to each place, which is evident by the amount of tourism each location attracts. Everyone wants to know about the history, whether you’re wanting to connect to something of your past or you’re simply interested in ancient history and archaeology. This all reminds me of a scripture in Ecclesiastes, Chapter 1…

9. What has been is what will be, what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.

10. Is there something of which it is said, "See, this is new"? It existed already in the ages before us.

11. No one remembers the people of long ago; and those to come will not be remembered by those who come after them.

This is so true, however, there is one place on earth that calls to people more than any other place on earth…Israel! It’s more than just history. It’s more than just a place on earth where things happened so, so long ago. It’s more than a distant memory. No, it is part of everyone’s past, it is part of everyone’s present and there will be a future.

Israel, the land that God called Abram to, and once Abram crossed the Jordan River he became the father of many. He became the first Hebrew and through him the nation of Israel was born. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob became the patriarchs because of their strong faith in the God of Israel. God gave this land to Abraham and all his decedents and through them the Messiah was born. This child was born, but was no ordinary child, He was God, the Word Who poured himself into a human child in order for us all to have life. He redeemed us from our sins. He overcame the power of death and took back the keys that held us in captivity. He gave us hope for a future and brighter tomorrow. This child, Yeshua (Jesus), died for us. Where did this all take place? Israel! Where did Yeshua live, teach, preach, heal and perform awesome miracles? Israel! Cana - where he turned water into wine. The Sea of Galilee - where he calmed the raging sea and commanded the storms. This is where he also called some of his disciples to follow him. This is all part of “what was”.

The “what is” can be found in Ezekiel 37:21;

21. Then say to them that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I will take the people of Isra'el from among the nations where they have gone and gather them from every side and bring them back to their own land. I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Isra'el; and one king will be king for all of them. They will no longer be two nations, and they will never again be divided into two kingdoms.

What an awesome and miraculous coming to fruition of prophecy we are currently experiencing in present-day Israel. God said He would do it and has. He called back the children of Israel from the four corners of the world and has reestablished them in their own land! For almost 2,000 years the land of Israel was nothing but a dried up, barren waste land that wasn’t producing nor yielding any good thing. A land full of Malaria and other diseases. Upon traveling to Israel in 1867, Mark Twain stated, “Of all the lands there are for dismal scenery, I think Palestine must be the prince... Can the curse of the Deity beautify a land? “Palestine sits in sackcloth and ashes. Over it broods the spell of a curse that has withered its fields and fettered its energies.” What a bleak and dismal encounter, however, when God saw fit to bring back the rightful heirs of a small plot of land sitting off the shores of the Mediterranean Ocean, the land began to live. Tel Aviv is considered the Silicon Valley of the Middle East. The Golan Heights is home to vast vineyards and wineries. The Dead Sea has yielded a vast supply of beauty and health products. God breathed and it all came to life! Date orchards, olive groves, vineyards and the most beautiful rose gardens you have ever seen all flourish in Israel, this small country no bigger than the state of New Jersey.

The “what was” and the “what is” are very apparent in Israel today and the “what will be” is not completely out of sight. You can see the hand of God moving and the stage is being set for what will be. When at Mt. Carmel you can see where God miraculously worked through the prophet Elijah in that he showed up when no other god would. Then you turn your head to the north and see the Jezreel Valley where Yeshua will show up where no other god will and defeat the dragon called Satan at the battle of Armageddon.

Israel, there is no other place on earth like Israel.

If you have never been, please consider going with us on our next tour to Israel. I promise, you’ll never be the same.

Israel Tour Planning Amidst a Pandemic

Living in this new COVID-19 world has made it difficult for us to do everyday life the way we were used to. Going to the movies, a restaurant, a concert, sporting games and so on. The fact that COVID-19 has seen to the demise of many good restaurants and small businesses is terrible and beyond sad.

I was living in Colorado at the time COVID-19 made its debut. During the first year, 2020, some of my favorite spots were permanently closed down. The small business owners just could not weather the pandemic ride. What’s worse, is upon reopening and trying to get back to some semblance of normalcy, many establishments weren’t able to due to the fact that they weren’t able to hire people. You simply can’t run a business without staff.

What COVID-19 has done to the tourism industry in Israel is nothing but devastating. In March 2020, myself and a group of 50 others were all ready to leave for Israel for our Spring 2020 tour. Five days before departure the borders were being closed. Tour agents were desperately working to get tourists back home and out of the country in preparation for lock-down. Our tour was “postponed” and I was in a frenzy wondering how I was supposed to navigate this situation with all those who paid to go on this tour.

The airline was stating that the flights weren’t being canceled but only postponed. This meant no refunds, just hold tight and we will reschedule you for a later date. That was a bit laughable because how do you tell 48 people, “Oh, don’t worry, your very expensive trip of a lifetime is not canceled just postponed for a later date.”? Laughable or not, that’s exactly what I had to do.

Due to travel restrictions warranted by the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic, and through several series of events, the Spring 2020 Israel Tour has become the Spring 2022 Israel Tour.

Do I still have 50 people going with me? No. Two years is a mighty long time to wait. Life continues and things happen. Some of those initially going are now facing health issues, loss of loved ones, going through marital issues and some are just not wanting to take a vaccine. The vaccine debate is not a new topic and for some it is a sore subject. The fact of the matter is that it is a personal choice and should be respected. The sad reality is that COVID-19 has changed our world and is here to stay.

I am excited to be taking a group of twenty-three people with me to Israel in just four short weeks. It has been a logistical nightmare trying to get this all planned. I’m still working with the airline and Land Agent on finalizing refunds, but through it all I know that we will have an awesome tour this year. Trial by fire always produces the most exquisite results. I am looking forward to what God has for this group of people. I cannot wait to experience this trip of a lifetime with them and to be able to see their responses and reactions. I can’t wait to be reunited with our Land Agent and staff. I can’t wait to see David, our bus driver and meet the guide who will, I’m sure, dazzle everyone with his expertise in all things Israel!

If you’ve never been to Israel, I implore you to plan your next vacation with us. Go to Israel because I promise you, you will never be the same again!

L’hitraot v’shalom!

Good-bye for now and see you soon!